But when the Timbers have needed a goal, the Argentine forward has consistently come through for Portland.

“He scores goals,” Timbers coach Caleb Porter said. “In picking him, I thought he’d be clever and get around goal and could finish.”

Fernandez scored his second goal in just two games Saturday night as the Timbers earned their first win of the season, beating D.C. United 3-2 in front of a crowd of 20,814 at Providence Park.

The forward’s goal came just 34 seconds into Saturday’s match when he got on the end of a cross from Timbers midfielder Diego Valeri, navigated around D.C. United goalkeeper Bill Hamid and tapped a shot into the back of the net.

“I think he’s just a really clever player,” Porter said. “When the ball falls to him and he’s in and around the goal, he’s cagey.”

The Timbers coach knew he had acquired a talented goal scorer in Fernandez during the offseason, but in the beginning of the year, Porter had difficulty finding a role and position that suited Fernandez in the Timbers’ lineup.

Porter shuffled Fernandez from the wing, to the No. 10 position in the center of the park to the No. 9 spot up top.

Though Fernandez scored crucial goals for the Timbers in the first two games of the season, he looked ineffective in his next two matches and was removed from the starting lineup until last week against the Houston Dynamo.

“People underestimate how difficult it is for a foreign guy to come into a foreign country, settle immediately with his family and then all of a sudden produce on the field,” Timbers captain Will Johnson said. "He’s had some ups and downs, but he’s come through for us. He’s our leading goal scorer. He’s carrying the attack at times.”

In his first game back in the starting 11 last week, Fernandez fired a shot from the top of the box into the upper-right corner of the net in the 33rd minute to lead the Timbers to a 1-1 draw with the Houston Dynamo.

Fernandez’ performance against Houston earned him a spot in the starting 11 once again Saturday against D.C. United.

And Fernandez had probably his most impressive game of the season Saturday night against D.C. United.

The Argentine forward took six dangerous shots against D.C. United and, though Fernandez and Valeri have had difficulty forming a cohesive partnership this season, the two players had a strong chemistry and connection on the field Saturday night.

“We never played before in Argentina together,” Valeri said. “We needed some time to know each other… our chemistry was much better today. We worked on that.”

Fernandez could have finished the game with even more goals if he had capitalized on his opportunities.

In the 86th minute, Fernandez had a wide-open chance in front of the goal, but he sent his shot high. Four minutes later, the forward sent a sliding close-range shot straight at D.C. United’s goalkeeper.

Still, the Timbers aren’t complaining.

Portland has had difficulty scoring all season. They’re just happy to finally have a player consistently scoring goals.

“He should have scored a couple more at the end and I told him that,” Porter said. “But he’s got four goals on the year, so as a striker he’s been very good.”